Fiber-cased railway-torpedo.



F. DUTCHER.

FIBER CASE RAILWAY TORPEDO.

APPLICATION man SEPT- 11. 1913.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1- THE NORRIS PETERS C11, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D. C.

Fl BUTCHER.

FIBER CASE RAILWAY TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. Il, I913.

1,187,710. Pawnted Apr. 27, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- THE NORRIS PETERS CO., PHOmLITHO" WASHINGTUN, 11 CI STATES AEN FRANK BUTCHER, OF VERSAILLES, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO CENTRAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FIBER-CASE RAILWAY-TORPEDO.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK DUTCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Versailles, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fiber- Case Railway-Torpedoes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to-improvements in fiber case railway torpedoes, formed of a sheet of fiber so folded and cemented together that a strong durable and water proof torpedo is produced.

The object of my invention is to form the case of a fiber torpedo from a sheet or blank of fiber and so fold it around the explosive compound that the same is wholly inclosed and providing means whereby a lead or spring rail attaching strap may securely be fastened thereto and at the same time providing a torpedo with a thick bottom and a fiat lower face whereby it will more fully rest upon the rail. I

A still further object of my invention is to provide a torpedo which is cheap in construction and having certain details of structure hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved toredo. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 22 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a.

vertical sectional view taken on line 33 Fig. 2 at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a plan view of the blank of which my improved case is made showing the lead rail attaching strap applied. Fig. 5 is an inverted perspective view of a modified form of my improved torpedo showing the spring clip or strap applied thereto. Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 5.. Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the blank of which my torpedo is formed partly folded and showing the strap holding plate applied thereto.

Referring now to the drawings 1 represents the main body portion of the blank of which my torpedo is composed and which forms the top of the completed torpedo. Formed integral with the sides thereof are the flaps 2 and 3 which have their ends 4 diverging outwardly and have at their outer ends the flaps 5 and 6 the combined width thereof being equal to the width of the body Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915. Serial No. 790,256. I

portion 1 and of a greater length than said body portion whereby a torpedo is formed with a square top and a rectangular base of greater area, as will be hereinafter fully described.

The ends of the body portion are provided with lntegral flaps 7 and 8 which are bent over and form the slanting walls of the torpedo. Theflap 8 is provided with an elongated rectangular flap 9 which is of an area equal to the combined area of the portions 5 and 6. The said flap 9 is provided midway its ends and adjacent the sides with the slots 10 and 11 through which the lead attaching strap 12 is threaded from below. The flap 9 at each end on the sides is provided with rectangular flaps 13, 14, 15 and 16 the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described. The flap 7 is provided with an integral flap 17 which is of an area equal to that of the flap 9. The explosive compound 18 has its top equal to that of the body portion 1 of the blank and has a slanting end. corresponding with the slanting walls 41 of the flaps 2 and 3.

The explosive compound or tablet 18 is placed upon the body portion 1 and the flaps 2 and 3 are folded against the sides of the tablet and the flaps 5 and 6 are folded over upon the bottom of the tablet. The end of the tablet is then coated with cement and the outer faces of flaps 5 and 6 are also coated with cement. The flap 8 is then folded against the end of the flaps 2. and 3 and flap 9 is folded upon the flaps 5 and 6 and cemented thereto. The outer face of flap 9 is then given a coating of cement as well as the other end of the tablet, and flap 7 is folded against the end of the explosive tablet and the flap 17 folded uponfthe flap 9 and cemented to the outer face thereof. The flaps 13, 14, 15 and 16 are then coated with cement and folded upon the outer face of the portion 17 and the thickness of these flaps being approximately equal to that of the lead strap whereby a fiat bottom is formed on the torpedo and the flaps also serving as means for more securely holding the portion 17 to the body of the torpedo.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive I have shown the means for attaching a spring clip to the torpedo. This means consists of a plate 19 which is placed against the under side of the case and is provided with ears 20 which are bent around sides of the portion 17 and turned over upon the upper face thereof. The attaching clip 21 is secured to the plate in any desired means but preferably by having the openings 22 and 23 through which the offset portions 2A and 25 of the clip pass as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The flaps 13, 1A, 15

and 16 are of a width equal to the distances on each side of the plate so that a flat bottom is formed.

Having thus fully described myinvention what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. A railway torpedo, composed of a blank having a body-portion and folding flaps, an explosive mixture inclosed by said bodyportion and flaps, a rail-attaching strap secured to the torpedo and flaps folding on each side of the rail-attachingstrap to form a fiat bottom forthe torpedo.

2. A railway torpedo composed of a blank having a body-portion and folding flaps, an explosive mixture inclosed by the body-portion and flaps, a rail-attaching strap secured to the bottom of the torpedo, and flaps folding over on each side of the rail-attaching" strap upon the bottom of the torpedo and of a thickness equal tothat of the rail-attaching strap.

3. A railway torpedo composed of a blankhaving a body-portion and folding flaps, an explosive mixture inclosed by the body-portion and folding flaps, a rail-attaching strap secured to the bottom of the torpedo, and flaps carried by the torpedo for securing the several flaps together and folded upon the bottom of the torpedo on each side of the rail-attaching strap. 1

4. A railway'torpedo composed of a blank having a body-portion and folding flaps, an

explosive mixture inclosed by the body-portion and folding flaps; a rail-attaching strap secured to the bottom of the torpedo, and flaps carried by the torpedo and adapted to fold upon the bottom thereof upon each side of the rail-attaching strap to form a flat bottom. I

5. A railway torpedo composedof a blank having a body-portion, flaps secured to all four sides of the body portion and an explosive mixture inclosed by the body-portion and flaps, one flap having laterally extend- 'ing flaps carried by allfour corners and adapted to embrace the flap carried by the opposite sides of the body-portion and to fold over upon the lower face thereof.-

6. A railway torpedo composed of a blank having a rectangular body-portion, the opposite ends thereof having flaps forming the two end Walls'of the torpedo case; flaps carried by the two opposite edges of the body-portion and having diverging edges forming the side walls of the torpedo case, an explosive mixture within the torpedo case. flaps carried by said diverging flaps and of a width. equal to half that of the body-portion, flaps carried by the first-mentioned flaps and forming the bottom of the torpedo case, and a rail-attaching strap secured to one of the last mentioned flaps.

7. A railway torpedo composed of a blank having a body-portion and folding flaps, an explosi've mixture inclosed Within the bodyportion and folding flaps, said flaps adapted to form the bottom of three thicknesses and a rail-attaching strap removably secured to one of the flaps forming the bottom, and

flaps. carried by the flap to which the raili attaching strap is secured and folded over upon the bottom on each side of the rail attaching strap.

8. A railway torpedo composed of a blank having a body portion and folding flaps, an explosive mixture inclosed by the body -por tion and folding flaps, said flaps adapted to form the bottom of the torpedo of three thicknesses, a rail-attaching strap threaded through openings in one of the flaps forming the bottom, and flaps carried by the flap carrying therail-attaching strap and folded 7 over on each side of the rail-attaching strap.

9. A railway torpedo composed of a blank having a body and folding flaps, an explosive mixture inclosed by said body-portion and flaps, a rail-attaching strap secured to I the torpedo, and flaps carried by the torpedo and folded over 'upon the bottom of the torpedo on each side of therail-attaching strap.

10.- A railway torpedo comprising a bodyportion, an explosive mixture inclosed by said body portion, a rail-attaching strap secured to the bottom of the body-portion, and flaps carried by the torpedo and adaptedto fold over upon the bottom of the body-portion upon each side of the rail-attaching strap to form a flat bottom.

. In'testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK DUTGHER. Witnesses i R. W. JUNKER,

G. M. LEONARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

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